PHILOSOPHICALAPPRAISAL OF RELIGIOUS PLURALISM AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA

Abstract

Religious pluralism implies a diverse variety and multiplicity of faiths found to exist simultaneously in a given society. This has always posed a problem to sustainable development in Nigeria. Any societies which tie political battle for supremacy, socioeconomic dominance and cultural superiority complex to their religions breed developmental crises. This has being the case in Nigeria because, interactions between the three dominant religions in Nigeria, namely: Christianity, African Traditional Religion and Islam have been largely governed by divisiveness, hatred, bigotry and violence. The consequence is developmental deficits. The paper recommends among others that tolerance and accepting of individual religious differences is a key to peace and harmony. The politicians should not use religion as a language of power but rather emphasize its role of achieving social needs that affect the well-being of the people